SAN FRANCISCO — The road to the postseason became harder on Friday as the San Francisco State baseball team dropped both games of its CCAA doubleheader at Sonoma State. The Gators dropped game one 7-6 and the scheduled seven-inning nightcap, 5-4, in nine innings.
With the back-to-back losses, the first since the Gators (23-26) suffered three straight losses to Pomona State March 23-24, SF State now stands tied for sixth with the Seawolves (26-23). With their CCAA record tied at 22-21, it all comes down to the final game of the regular season for the two teams. That takes place on Saturday, May 5 at noon.
Brady Dorn started the day with a two-run single in the first and
Jackson Kritsch's fielder's choice with the bases loaded in the second put San Francisco State up 3-0 in game one. The Seawolves countered in the bottom of the second with a four-run frame with the go-ahead run coming on a balk.
Jack Harris quickly answered in the next half-inning with a double to left center to tie it up.
Catcher
Jason Hare kept it close in the fourth inning with a 2625 caught stealing. Hare threw to second but Mitch West broke for home from third. Dorn threw home to Hare, who applied the tag, then threw to third, where
Damon DeVirgilio applied the tag on Bryce Nagata. SF State starter
Grant Vogenthaler (4-6) then got a strikeout to get out of the inning.
Vogenthaler's day came to an end in the sixth when he issued a two-out, bases-loaded walk that gave SSU the lead.
Daniel Jimenez hit the first batter he faced to make it 6-4 in favor of the Seawolves but got a strikeout looking to limit the damage. A West homer in the eighth proved costly, especially given that the Gators pulled within a run in the ninth on
Harley Lopez's two-run homer to right.
In game two, Sonoma State went ahead in the fourth with back-to-back homers by Joshua Lenney and West. SSU added a pair of runs in the fifth but left the bases loaded. That left the door open for the Gators.
Chris Smutny opened the sixth with a walk, Lopez singled, and Dorn brought in a run with another single.
Trevor Rogers's two-out, pinch-hit single plated another run, and
Johnny Juarez capped the rally with a two-run double to right field.
Jordyn Eglite replaced
Dillon Houser in the seventh and held the Seawolves, sending the game into extras. However, SSU won it in the ninth on Zach Guardino's two-out double to left center that scored Dan Deely all the way from first.
On Deck
Prior to Saturday's game, San Francisco State will honors its 11 seniors on Senior Day. Live game stats will be provided, and check for in-game updates on Twitter and Instagram at @sfstatebaseball. Also, be sure to like
SF State Baseball on Facebook.
